WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Bowdoin baseball team opened the 2016 season with a two-game sweep of Utica College on Tuesday, capturing a 5-3 win in the opener followed by an 8-1 victory in game two.

The Polar Bears open the season at 2-0, while Utica (0-4) still searches for its first win.

Game One Highlights

• Chad Martin tagged a single to center field in the bottom of the first, scoring Peter Cimini.
• Utica took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third after JT Ross doubled to center and a single to right off Matthew DeMartino's bat, scoring Ross.
• Evann Dumont-LaPointe hit an RBI triple to center, scoring Sawyer Billings in the bottom of the fourth, and crossed the plate himself on a balk soon after.
• Leading 3-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, Martin launched a solo shot to left field that put the Polar Bears up 4-2.
• Stephen Girolamo added to Bowdoin's lead, knocking an RBI single to center that scored Chris Nadeau.
• Utica put a run on the board in the top of the seventh, but was unable to close the gap as Bowdoin took the 5-3 win.
• Harry Ridge earned the win on the mound going 5.2 innings while allowing six hits and two earned runs. The senior hurler struck out eight with only one walk.
• Kyle Stanley closed out the final 1.1 innings for Bowdoin, allowing a hit and run, and earning the save.

Game Two Highlights

• Michael Staes turned in a complete seven inning performance on the mound in game two, allowing nine hits and only one run to earn the win. Staes struck out four Pioneers with no walks.
• Utica went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first off a two-out double to center by Brandon Thomas.
• Bowdoin took the lead in the top of the fifth following an error by the pitcher that allowed both Luke Cappellano and Colby Joncas to score. Peter Cimini followed with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Brandon Lopez.
• Cappellano tallied an RBI single in the top of the sixth, scoring Sean Mullaney. A Pioneer error on the play allowed Joncas to score as well.
• Lopez followed with an RBI double to right, pushing Cappellano across the plate.
• Jack Wilhoite concluded the game's scoring with a two run single to right.

Up Next

• Bowdoin returns to action on Thursday at Lake Myrtle Park with a doubleheader against Dickinson. The day begins at 9:15 a.m.